Austin Kennedy’s Top 100 comedies of All Time (40-31)

Over a year ago I took it upon myself to make a list of my favorite comedies. I only did a like 5 or so. Well, I have now compiled a revised list together, and actually ranked them this time.

Before I share the list with you, here are some things I would to make clear.

This is JUST my opinion. Humor is very subjective. Everyone has their own tastes, so before you attack me for not including any Cheech and Chong, Kevin Smith or “Seth Rogen comedy troupe” movies on my list…. just remember, these are the movies that make ME laugh more than any of the others out there. I was raised on classic comedy and 80’s silliness, so just be aware of that.

This list was extremely hard to rank, so take the number listings with a grain of salt. It’s hard to say if number 39 is really better than number 40, however number 39 is probably better than number 80.

I do know this: My favorite comedy of all time is definite. So my number 1, is truly what I think is the funniest film ever made.

What I hope to accomplish with this list is to make the reader remember films they may have seen, make them aware of other films they may not have seen, and start some fun movie-related conversations. (This list is not an open invite to internet trolls, however, haha!)

Okie Dokie, here we go with numbers 40-31!!!!

40. SLEEPER (1973) – An early Woody Allen film that is pure zaniness! Woody wakes up 200 years in the future where he joins a revolution on a mission to destroy the nation’s current leader. This film is loaded with great gags and satire, including Woody disguised as a robot servant, crazy inventions, and a big silver ball that gets you high. This is definitely the director at his most imaginative.

39. KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE (1977) – When I first saw this when I was about 13, I had no idea what the hell I just witnessed, but I knew I laughed my ass off! Before AIRPLANE, the Zucker Bros. and Jim Abrahams wrote this completely insane sketch comedy. It’s vulgar, raunchy, tasteless, and absolute genius. It shares the same fearlessness that BLAZING SADDLES has, but then goes even further. Love the fake porn trailer “Catholic High School Girls in Trouble”, and the kung-fu parody “A Fistful of Yen”.

38. REVENGE OF THE NERDS (1984) – I grew up with this film. It holds a special place in my heart because I AM a nerd. Always have been. So this movie is actually pretty inspirational for me, showing me that nerds can be cool too! And on top of that, it’s funny as hell! Robert Carradine turns in a terrific comedic performance as the head nerd Lewis lLove that iconic laugh!). In fact, the movie is chock full of memorable and hilarious characters like Booger, Toshi, Lamar, Wormser, Gilbert, and Poindexter. I can quote this flick like it’s nobody’s business!

37. A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988) – I sometimes forget about this movie, and then I rewatch it…… man this movie is great! John Cleese is in top form as a lawyer who is being seduced by criminal Jamie Lee Curtis, who has an accent fetish. Kevin Kline won best supporting actor for his hilarious and energetic portrayal of a foul-mouthed, lackluster thief. It’s a wonderful farce that is full of witty dialogue and slapstick humor. It’s also pretty dark. Warning: if you have a problem with animals dying for the sake of laughs, you might want to skip this one. It doesn’t bother me, so I just laugh my ass off and not feel bad about it.

36. SILENT MOVIE (1976) – When most people think of Mel Brooks, they either think about SPACEBALLS, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, and BLAZING SADDLES. No one ever talks about this movie, and that’s a shame cause it’s one of his funniest! It’s an actual silent movie that has Brooks playing a movie director who wants to make a silent movie in a day in age that doesn’t want one. It’s full of classic slapstick and great cameos from some of the biggest stars of the 70’s like James Caan, Paul Newman, Liza Minnelli, and even Burt Reynolds (who makes fun of his ego like a good sport). Marty Feldman as one of Brooks’ sidekicks is so good at silent comedy that one wonders if he was born in the wrong era. Seek this often overlooked gem out.

35. THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980) – John Landis’ epic musical comedy. The scope of this film is so huge. An epic comedy if there ever was one. I just love how BIG this movie is. The songs are great, the characters are unforgettable and features some of the best car chases in film history. It’s also very funny. I love how Landis found a way for car crashes to be as hilarious as a witty punchline. The movie gets bigger as it moves along, and so do the laughs.

34. THE NAVIGATOR (1924) – Most people site THE GENERAL as Buster Keaton’s best film. If that’s true, then THE NAVIGATOR is his funniest. It’s about a spoiled millionaire who ends up being stranded on a big ocean liner in the middle of the sea with a former girlfriend. Give the film about 5 minutes to pick up, and when it does….. BAM! Laughs everywhere! I love watching these two characters finding ways to survive all alone, especially since neither of them had to take care of themselves before. It’s clever, inventive, and full of razor-sharp comic timing. Some of the gags are so precise that it makes me wonder how many takes they did to get it just right. And the film has an exciting conclusion that has Keaton battling a bunch of cannibals. Political correct? No! Absolutely hilarious? YES!

33. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974) – Mel Brooks’ best directed film is certainly this one. Shot in glorious black and white, he perfectly captures the classic Universal horror films that he’s spoofing here. It lends a certain authenticity to the comedy. Gene Wilder delivers the performance of his career as the mad scientist. Marty Feldman as Igor is uncanny. Peter Boyle is terrific as the moaning monster. Even Gene Hackman as a blind man is funny here. Brooks finds the perfect balance between homage and parody in this comedy classic!

32. BASEKETBALL (1998) – Another comedy came out around the same time as this one: THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. It was a huge success, though watching it now…. it just doesn’t hold up for me. But you know what holds up better than that? BASEKETBALL. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are so funny in this idiotic movie about a sport that’s cross between basketball and baseball (duh, it says it in the title). Dian Bachar shines as the sidekick who gets picked on throughout the whole film. Directed by David Zucker, this feels cross between like an R-rated NAKED GUN, and ORGAZMO (which was directed by Trey Parker). Full of raunchy, inappropriate middle school humor, this one is a homerun for me. I also love how fearless Parker and Stone are as performers here (that kiss is unbelievable).

31. ANNIE HALL (1977) – As poignant as it is funny, this Best Picture winning comedy is Woody Allen’s crowning achievement. It’s ambitious as Woody constantly breaks the fourth wall to talk to the audience. It contains hilarious insight into the world of dating and relationships. We laugh at this movie because we can relate to most of it. It’s also a movie I show to every girl I date (maybe as a warning as to how neurotic I am, lol). This is a film I can honestly say is not over hyped. It deserves all the praise it gets.